CLEVELAND, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The president of a north Georgia private Christian university was placed on administrative leave Friday amid an investigation into sexual abuse allegations.

The Truett McConnell University board of trustees placed the university’s President, Dr. Emir Caner, on administrative leave. The board named Dr. John Yarbrough as acting president.

The board of trustees also voted to have a third-party investigation conducted by Phoenix Research.

“We request that you continue to pray for the entire TMU family and all parties involved,” the university said in a statement.

The allegations involve former Truett McConnell University administrator and professor Dr. Brad Reynolds.

A “blogger and podcaster” accused Reynolds of having an inappropriate relationship with an alumnus from 2013 to 2018.

The allegations claim the alumnus was later employed by the university.

White County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the relationship in February 2024, though no charges were ever filed.

The university is in Cleveland in White County, which is about three hours northwest of Augusta.

Dr. Reynolds was placed on administrative leave and fired shortly after the investigation began, the university said.

An attorney for the alumnus provided the university with “excerpts of Reynolds’ sexually-explicit and theologically-twisted Yahoo emails,” but that “Outside counsel found no documented evidence of Reynolds’ behavior, including reviewing the computers, emails and files of former employees,” according to the university.

In a statement, the university said, “Dr. Reynolds’ behavior was abhorrent, immoral, manipulative and unethical.”

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